Category: Entree – Pork

If you’re wondering how to cook pork loin, this easy recipe makes juicy, fork tender pork loin and takes care of the vegetables too.  

Ingredients:

• Pork
  3-4 pound pork loin
  1 Tab olive oil
• Spice Rub
  1 tsp sweet paprika
  1 tsp garlic powder
  1/2 tsp onion powder
  1/2 tsp dried thyme
  1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Honey Garlic Glaze (I doubled)
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  1/4 c honey
  3 Tab soy sauce
  1 Tab Dijon mustard
  1 Tab olive oil
• Vegetables
  1 Tab olive oil
  1 lb brussels sprouts, cut in half
  1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeds cleaned out, cut into 1-inch cubes (you can also buy pre-cut butternut squash)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet, not a 9×13 pan, with aluminum foil.
3. On a cutting board, pat dry pork loin with paper towels.
4. In a small mixing bowl combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
5. Lightly spray pork loin with cooking spray. This will make it easier for the spice mix to stick. (or don’t pat it so dry!)
6. Take the spice mix and rub it all over the pork loin.  Yes, all sides, not just the top.
7. Heat olive oil over medium heat and sear the pork loin until browned on all sides; about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
8. Transfer pork loin to previously prepared baking sheet, fat-layer side up.
9. Set aside.
10. In a bowl, combine garlic, honey, soy sauce, mustard and oil.
11. Whisk until well combined. If too thick, add a bit more oil or soy sauce.
12. Reserve 2+ Tablespoons of the sauce to use for the vegetables.
13. Brush remaining honey mixture over the pork loin.
14. Roast for 25 minutes.
15. In the meantime, toss the vegetables with a Tablespoon of olive oil and the reserved honey mixture.
16. Pull pork roast out of the oven and add the vegetables all around it in one layer.
17. Tent a piece of foil over the pork so the top doesn’t burn, but the inside continues to cook.
18. Put it back in the oven and continue to cook for 25 to 30 more minutes, or until internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 145˚.
19. Stir vegetables half way through cooking.
20. Remove baking sheet from oven.
21. Loosely cover meat and veggies with foil.
22. Let rest 10 minutes.
23. Cut the pork in slices and serve with veggies.

Serves: 8

Source: diethood.com

Chorizo sausages originated in Spain and Portugal. Unlike most varieties of Iberian chorizo (which is a cured and dried in a way somewhat similar to salami or pepperoni), Mexican chorizo is actually a raw sausage that must be cooked before eating. Chorizo is usually employed in relatively small quantities to add a great flavor boost to countless Mexican dishes:  Stirred into scrambled eggs,eat as-is (with tortillas and sliced avocado), use to fill burritos or tacos, combined with diced, cooked or sautéed potatoes as a filling for tacos, enchiladas, mixed with melted cheese to make queso fundido (also called choriqueso), use as a dip or spread on tortillas, tostadas, or bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 Mexican cinnamon sticks, or 1 regular cinnamon stick
•  5 whole cloves
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds
•  10 whole peppercorns
• 1 Tab Chimayo chile powder (Savory – Ground New Mexican Hot Red Chiles)
• 1 Tab medium hot or hot New Mexican chili powder (Savory – Ground Molido Chile)
• 1 tsp ground Jalapeño Chili powder
• 1 Tab Mexican oregano
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 tsp Kosher salt
• 3 Ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup of red wine vinegar (plus 1⁄4 cup of water as needed)
• 1 pound ground pork or pork sausage
• 6 oz pork belly (slightly frozen, an hour or two in freezer)

Directions:

1. Combine cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds and peppercorns in a small, dry, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Roast, shaking the pan frequently, until the aromas are released (about two minutes).
3. Removed from heat and let cool.
4. Place spices in spice or coffee grinder to pulverize (or use motor and pestle).
5. Set aside.
6. Put all ingredients (EXCEPT ground pork and pork belly) into food processor.
7. Run at high speed until it forms a paste (added extra water sparingly as needed).
8. When it is a paste, remove to bowl.
9. Chop pork belly in food processor.
10. Add to the bowl with the spice paste.
11. Add ground pork to bowl and mix all ingredients together thoroughly (use spoon or nitrile gloves).
12. Cover and refrigerate for two days, or separate into balls and freeze up to 3 months.

Source:  Mary Oswell and Stan Pezdick

It is mid January and the snow is COLD!  Cannot live another day without BBQ ribs?  Sweet and Sticky to the rescue.

Ingredients:

• ¼ c soy sauce
• ¼ c orange marmalade
• ½ c pineapple juice
• ¼ c honey
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
• 2 Tab ginger, minced
• 1 Tab lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 4 – 5 lbs pork back ribs, fat trimmed.

Directions:

1. Mix soy, orange marmalade, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, rosemary and pepper in a 1 or 2 gal Ziploc bags.
2. Rinse ribs, pat dry.
3. Cut ribs into individual ribs.
4. Place in Ziploc bags with the marinade.
5. Seal bags and turn to coat ribs with marinade.
6. Set in pan or bowl and refrigerate for at leas 2 hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally.
7. Line a rimmed pan with foil (the drippings char).
8. Lift the ribs from the marinade (saving the marinade) and place in a single layer, bone side down on the foil.
9. Pour the marinade in a small pan.
10. Bake ribs in a 350°oven, uncovered, and cook for 1 ½ hours, until the meat is well browned and pulls easily from the bones.
11. Meanwhile, boil the marinade on low, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes (to kill meat bacteria). Watch it, it will boil over easily.
12. (Take to party as this point.)
13. Heat reserved marinade and pour over ribs and heat at 350° for 10 minutes.

Serves: 5-6

Source: Mary Lou Nuffer, Orange, CA in Sunset, June 2001

Comments: Can be made the day before and reheated.

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – June 15, 2013